Plastic holder



Dec. 14, 1965 P. M. WARD PLASTIC HOLDER Filed July 1, 1964 PERCY M.WARD

I NVENTOR.

AT TO RNE Y.

United States Patent 3,223,372 PLASTIC HOLDER Percy Marton Ward, 2057 Eileen Drive, Anaheim, Calif. Filed July 1, 1964, Ser. No. 379,625 2 Claims. (Cl. 248-313) This invention relates to fixtures provided to be applied to a wall for temporarily holding articles of various kinds, and particularly to a plastic holder for cans, glass jars and the like.

It is an object of the invention to provide a relatively inexpensive holder of this general type by injection molding the same in a single piece.

Another object is to provide such a holder, which embodies a ring, for encircling the article to be supported, and a mounting plate, and a strap integrally uniting said ring and said plate, whereby a downward bias will be applied to said ring by said plate and strap when said plate is secured to a wall, to cause said ring to grip an article introduced therein and thus securely support the same.

Another object is to provide such a holder in which said strap includes a link connected by relatively thin webs to said plate and said ring and in which said webs will endure flexing over a very long period without producing a crystallization of said webs.

A further object is to provide such a holder having flexible internal fins in the ring thereof which will produce a gripping action on cans and the like held therein and will accommodate said holder to cans varying substantially in diameter.

Yet another object is to provide such a holder in which the ring thereof has a flat tongue of substantial area for use in manipulating said holder in inserting a can into or removing the same from said holder, which tongue also provides a space which is useful for applying advertising matter to said holder.

The manner of accomplishing the foregoing objects as well as further objects and advantages will be made manifest in the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a preferred embodiment of the invention attached to a wall and with a coffee can being held in said holder, certain portions of said can and holder ring being broken away to illustrate the structure of said holder.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the holder shown in FIG. 1 with the parts thereof positioned relatively as they are when said holder is injection-molded in a single piece.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 33 of FIG. 2 and illustrates particularly the relative thinness of the webs which unite the strap of the holder respectively with the mounting plate and can gripping ring thereof.

Referring specifically to the drawings, the invention is there illustrated as comprising a unitary integrally molded plastic holder 5 which includes a can gripping ring 6, a mounting plate 7 and a strap 8 which is integrally united at its opposite ends with said ring and said plate. This union is effected through relatively thin narrow webs 9 and 10 which are co-extensive in length with the edges of said strap adjoining said plate and said ring.

The ring 6 is provided internally with fins 11 which "Ice preferably lie approximately in the plane of said ring and are provided primarily to give a gripping action to the ring 6 on a can 12 when this is inserted in said ring as shown in FIG. I, particularly where said can is provided with annular recesses 13 produced by fiuting the material of the can, the fins 11 being adapted to extend into one of said recesses and thus prevent the cans slipping downwardly through said ring.

The ring 6 is also preferably provided with a thin tongue 14 which extends outwardly from the ring at a point diametrically opposite that at which the strap 8 unites with said ring, tongue 14 being provided primarily for use in manipulating the ring 6 while inserting a can into said ring or removing the same therefrom, but also provides a substantial space which may be advantageously used for the display of advertising matter. This is particularly desirable where the holder 5 is utilized as a give-away premium.

The mounting plate 7 is provided with screw holes 15 for receiving screws 16 when mounting the holder 5 on a wall 17.

It is to be particularly noted that FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate the holder 5 as this holder is injection molded from a suitable plastic material in a single piece. As shown in these views, the various elements of the holder are free from restraint. In order to mount the holder 5 on wall 17, the mounting plate 7 thereof is swung in the direction of the arrow 18 in FIG. 3 until the plate is extending vertically upward from its connection with the strap 8, as shown in FIG. 1, whereupon the screws 16 are inserted through the holes 15 and screwed into wall 17. This mounting operation places a slight strain on webs 9 and 10 so as to impart a downward bias to the ring 6 causing the tongue 14 thereof to contact the surface of the wall 17. This bias is useful, in the operation of the holder 5, in holding the ring in gripping relation with a can 12 after the latter has been inserted downwardly in said ring as shown in FIG. 1. In case this can has annular recesses 13 as shown in FIG. 1, the can may be inserted into the ring such a distance that one or more of the fins 11 may extend into one of said recesses with the effect of positively limiting downward movement of the can in said ring.

It is to be understood that the holders 5 of the invention offer an opportunity for utilizing empty cans (originally used for packaging various products) for the storage of nails and other supplies in a home workshop or garage, simply by mounting these holders on a wall 17 and then inserting empty cans 12 in the rings 6 of these holders as said cans accumulate. Certain cans, and the can 12 shown in FIG. 1 is one of these, are provided with a plastic cover 19 which when applied to the top of the can not only keeps the contents thereon dry but renders the same visible while the cover is on the can.

While the holder 5 of the invention may be made of various plastic materials of the proper degree of softness, it is preferably injection molded from polypropylene or hard polyethylene.

The claims are:

1. A unitary molded plastic holder including a ring, and a mounting plate and strap normally positioned within said ring and in integral co-planar relationship therewith, said strap flexibly uniting said ring to said plate and transmitting to said ring from said plate when the latter is 3 4 positioned downwardly and outwardly from within said References Cited by the Examiner ring, a downward bias to said ring so that when said UNITED STATES PATENTS plate is so positioned and mounted on a wall said bias tends to hold said ring in gripping relation with an article 5222 Hqughton 25 inserted vertically therethrough. 5 J11 1956 Shlppen n 248* 2. A holder as recited in claim 1 wherein opposite ends FOREIGN PATENTS of said strap are connected respectively with said plate 227 559 4/1960 A t lia, and with said ring by relatively thin webs of the plastic 85,148 3/1958 Denmark.

material of which said holder is molded, said webs being narrow and co-extensive with the end edges of said strap. 10 CLAUDE LE Primary Examiner- 

1. A UNITARY MOLDED PLASTIC HOLDER INCLUDING A RING, AND A MOUNTING PLATE ANS STRAP NORMALLY POSITIONED WITHIN SAID RING AND IN INTEGRAL CO-PLANAR RELATIONSHIP THEREWITH, SAID STRAP FLEXIBLY UNITING SAID RING TO SAID PLATE ANS TRANSMITTING TO SAID RING FROM SAID PLATE WHEN THE LATTER IS POSITIONED DOWNWARDLY AND OUTWARDLY FROM WITHIN SAID RING, A DOWNWARD BIAS TO SAID RING SO THAT WHEN SAID PLATE IS SO POSITIONED AND MOUNTED ON A WALL SAID BIAS TENDS TO HOLD SAID RING IN GRIPPING RELATION WITH AN ARTICLE INSERTED VERTICALLY THERETHROUGH. 